Up Close & Personal…

Or rather, Close-up (magic) & personal.

Performing close up is so much fun! There have been many times in the past where I've approached a table, or a group of person, and the self-elected spokesperson has said something like 'Oh no thank you. There are no children here,’ or 'Nah, we don't like that stuff.’

Fair enough. On most of these occasions, those people have ended up getting done magic anyway. I don't mean I force it on them. I know some magicians who say ‘Just let me show you this one thing,’ but to me that's pestering people.

I've found that when the no-thank-you's see the reactions my magic gets from other people at that effect, they will either sidle up and watch from the outskirts, or they will just say ‘Hey, actually, would you mind showing us something?’ And I love that! They've realised that is not just for kids, and it's probably a little more sophisticated than they assumed.

No one can be blamed for this thought process. I grew up thinking professional wrestling was just a bunch of overpaid stuntmen, now I'm a huge fan and understand more. When I was a young teenager, I thought Tom Cruise was just a cheesy-grin wearing annoyance who only got movies because of his looks, but now I think he's one of the greatest actors alive. And I always thought that Mrs Brown's Boys was criminally unfunny, and… well I guess not all opinions have to change.

Anyway, my favourite thing about working close up, is that for a few minutes, I get to build a relationship with whoever I'm performing for, and more than that, I'm giving them a memory.

I get to see and feel the astonishment which occurs when magic happens right in someone's own hands.

Changing opinions and building memories… that's what I call real magic!